Oathkeeper
by Winter Sleep
Summary: RikuRoku AU/ Sora is hospitalised and asks Roxas to take his place and show Riku around the newly opened shopping district. Roxas detests Riku but finds himself doing it anyway. Will that dislike between them turn into something more?
1. Request

**Title****: Oathkeeper**

**Chapter 1****: Request**

The sky was a light shade of blue and filled with fluffy white clouds that drifted across the sky in a silent stroll with tender coaxes from the soft breeze that ran through the tops of shop-houses and emerald leaves of many trees that lined up the main road through the shopping district. Walking down the pavement, two of the most unlikely people paced down as if in a slow death march to the guillotine. Even the air that hung around them was intimidating if the glares they were casting at each other hadn't sparked the atmosphere enough. And if they were not gazing at each other with daggers shooting out of their eyes, they would be attempting to drill holes on the dull pavement of the sidewalks with the fierce looks they were casting.

Unaware and uncaring to the raised eyebrows and somewhat frightened expressions of the innocent people around them, Riku and Roxas walked silently down the concrete tiles, the tallest of the two with his hands shoved deep inside the pockets of his jeans as the other seemed to let them hang at his sides, occasionally slipping his thumb into the pocket of his cargo pants or hooking it onto one of his empty belt loops. For a split-second, they paid no attention to each other and instead thought of the very same person. The same person that had got them into this mess in the first place…

'_I'm doing this for Sora…'_

They both thought at the very same moment, Riku shaking his head in exasperation and Roxas chewing on his lower lip with pure uncertainty showing quite plainly in his sapphire eyes that were so similar to his twin brother's, but held a different person altogether. Lacking the innocent optimism of his brunette counterpart, he contained a fiery spirit that was more than willing to lash out at the slightest provocation the silver-haired male would throw at him.

-

"Roxas, could you do me a favour, please?" rang Sora's voice in his ear, snapping him out of his daydream as the younger of the twins stared out of the window, curiously watching the sunset dyes on the long stretch of sky. Roxas raised a hand, his gaze remaining on the windowpane, showing that he was paying attention to his brother's words that would follow.

"First of all, I'm sorry, Roxas…"

The blonde had expected an apology so he merely nodded his head a few times, his attention now captured by him. Hoping it wouldn't be anything too impossible since impossible requests were usually… impossible… for him. Roxas usually was up to a challenge, but he wasn't feeling up for anything that could test him since Axel was away somewhere off for the summer holidays and Demyx had work to do before he could finally be free from his boss' evil clutches of doom.

"But I really wish you could do this one little thing for me…"

Turning away from the window, he was unfazed as he roughly turned the white chair around to face the older twin on the hospital bed, nodding his head in exasperation wishing, praying that it wouldn't be anything _too bad_. An identical face was hidden somewhere underneath the mess of brown hair and white, starched hospital pillows as well as a blanket or two. Dressed in the awkward clothes the nurses had provided him with, the ones that Sora commented was 'somewhat naked', the Keyblade master popped his head out and nuzzled the tousled mess to the fluffy pillow, giving his twin a small grin. Roxas couldn't help but smile at the playful display of his surprisingly older brother.

"I think I can handle it if it doesn't involve me giving you a PSP as a get well soon present," was the reply the brunette received from him, followed by a playful chuckle as he returned his smile.

Sora grinned and laughed along with Roxas before continuing with that unnatural serious look on his face. "I didn't know I would get this sick, I really didn't. Sorry…" he apologised one last time before adding in. "But I promised to take Riku around the new shopping district once he got back from London…"

-

After a small bit of persuading, a few retorts from Roxas and a handful of puppy-dog pouts from Sora, the blonde was finally forced to doing the deed of showing the 'haughty prick' around the new shopping area and take a few snapshots to show the sickly little boy in the hospital room.

A cherry red camera dangled from it black strap which was wrapped around Roxas' slender wrist, a small golden bell jingling softly with every step the two of them took down the sidewalk, quite eager to reach there, snap a few pictures and run off back to where they were supposed to go. Riku looked as eager as Roxas to get back quickly despite the fact that half of his face was hidden beneath his silver hair.

The both of them sighed…

'_Why did Sora make me go with him? He knows I never liked him…'_

The thought at the same time, unaware that the other was thinking the exact same thing…

Also unaware that the dislike and distaste they harboured for each other would soon turn into something more than hate…

Love?


	2. Clutch

**Title****: Oathkeeper**

**Chapter 2****: Clutch**

Riku frowned as he walked alongside the blonde, his emerald eyes hidden behind the thick curtain of silver hair which was actually a blessing as his glare was known to pierce boulders. At least that was what Demyx had told Roxas. His hands still hidden in his deep pockets, he acidly took step after step down the pavement, trying his best not to glance at the much shorter male beside him and to simply pretend that Sora's twin brother wasn't there and he was talking a lovely stroll through a flower-laden park without a care in the world. The teen had come back from London after a month-long exchange student programme arranged by the school and he had been very hopeful that he would return to his smiling best friend, ready to be taken to a random sweet café of his choice like always.

What he didn't expect, however, was the fact that his closest friend had been hospitalised suddenly, which left his twin brother, who surprisingly, he detested, to tend to him after picking him up from his home.

Riku would've just slammed the door in his face once he saw that Roxas was standing on his doorstep, looking quite reluctant of what he was about to do, but unfortunately for the both of them, they were cursed with the disability to say 'no' to Sora. Who could say 'no' to him, honestly? He seemed to have perfected the puppy-dog stare after the month he was away, Riku noted with mild amusement. But of course, he didn't show that outwardly at all.

"Here it is," was the soft murmur, barely louder than a whisper, from Roxas as they finally approached the small archway that would lead into the small shopping district. Red bricks paved the ground and in pretty, cursive writing, the words 'Twilight Avenue' was spelt out on the arch above their heads. For the first time, Riku looked at him without glaring and his bemused expression was enough to tell him that Roxas was hesitant to enter as well. The two of them stood at the entrance, unmoving and nonchalant to each other's presence for a few long moments of silence between them, the hustle and bustle of the town around them moving like clockwork as they were left isolated from it all.

Roxas paid much attention to Riku…

Riku paid much attention to Roxas…

Wondering who would take the first step in, they waited for each other to enter so that they could get this over with and end the whole 'living Hell'.

Finally, Riku was the first to move from the frozen position he was in before. Letting out a long, deep sigh, the taller male closed his eyes, head hanging and face towards the ground before he turned on his heel and walked in the opposite direction. He barely took a step before the blonde's hand lashed out and grasped his own tightly, the camera still dangling from his wrist. The silver-haired teen turned his head in mild surprise and was even more surprised to find the younger one looking quite frightened that he would really leave him there. The expression disappeared as quickly as it came, but it did his damage, Riku was stunned as the hand slowly loosened its grip and eventually fell back to his side once more. Frustrated, Roxas shoved his hands into his pockets and diverted his sapphire eyes away from the probing jade optics that belonged to Riku. A small bit of pink lingered on his pale cheeks and he bit his lower lip before saying, "Don't just leave me here to explain to Sora. It's not like I _want_ to do this, you know…"

Attempting to make his words sound as provocative as possible, but his voice still faltering at the end, Sora's twin was left with nothing to defend himself as the menacing silence from before caved in on him once more.

Trapping him…

Glaring at the pavement like he did earlier, but his look lacking the malice it once held, Roxas waited patiently for the other to make his move. Take no notice of him and walk off or suck in that pride of his and continue with the whole thing.

What he didn't expect was the surprisingly warm palm of Riku's to place itself on his spiky blonde hair. His first instinct was to pull away or to swat it off and then yell at him, but he merely stood there, accepting the somewhat comforting gesture from what he thought was his enemy. "Come on, let's go in," Riku's soft voice slipped into his ear. "Sora told me of this chocolate café somewhere inside there…" Trying to make himself sound as nice as he possibly could, Riku took the twin by his hand and slowly led him past the archway and into the district. Silence caved in on them once more, but the awkwardness was absent and there was an added something in the air around them. A sort of soothing warmth.

What was that feeling?


	3. Vent

**Title****: Oathkeeper**

**Chapter 3****: Vent**

Watching him silently, Roxas remained quiet and unmoving as he observed the taller ten before him, curiously peering at him over the pages of the comic he had just purchased but paying no attention to the colourful illustrations nor the text next to the pictures. Riku was taking slow steps down the novel section of the bookstore, a paper bag of manga for Sora in case he got bored in the hospital bedroom. Typical of Riku, buy stuff for Sora first, then think of yourself later. Surprisingly, he was quite a considerate person despite the way he and Roxas treated each other. Also surprising was the small rift between him and Riku despite both being very close to Sora. Sora was like the glue that persistently held them close together no matter what, being the stubborn little thing he was. A soft chuckle slipped past the blonde's lips and this perked the attention of the sixteen year old before him, those emerald eyes diverting themselves from the books and staring at him, eyebrows raised and his gaze questioning.

Biting his lower lip, he turned away a pink tinge on his lips as he tucked the comic under his arm and walked in another direction, towards the music CDs and DVDs. He wasn't particularly interested in these stuff, but he had to do something to get away from those eyes that seemed to be able to pierce through his very soul and read him like a book. That was one of the things that made him dislike Riku, those eyes. Even though they were hidden behind that ridiculously long fringe of his, they seemed to see more than what normal people could see and this irritated Roxas to no end. Fine, if you have those kind of eyes, at least don't look at a person who was known to be quite secretive. 'I need my privacy, too, you know…' he added acidly in his mind as he lazily flicked through the lined-up CDs, barely looking at the covers and ignoring practically the world around him.

Immersing himself in his thoughts, he didn't pay any attention to Riku, who was left standing before the large rack of novels, his pale eyebrows still raised and his face expressionless. What was his problem? At least show some appreciation that he wasn't glaring at him anymore… Furrowing his eyebrows together, he walked in the opposite direction and towards the wish cards, jade optics scanning the categories for a 'Get Well Soon' card. Picking up a card which wasn't particularly interesting from the rest, he barely looked at it, simply giving the front a fleeting glance before his eyes moved over to over the white shelves and watched Roxas as he put on a large set of earphones. Riku knew he wasn't really listening to the music, judging by the unfazed expression. 'So why go over there at all? It's not like Sora needs soothing music in there,' he thought irritably, placing down the card with a particularly loud 'clack' back on the shelf and walking towards the blonde-haired twin of Sora.

Finally, he was right behind him, ready to leave but the shorter male didn't seem to be paying any attention to him nor did he even notice that he was so close to him. Rolling his eyes, he raised a hand and placed it on the small shoulder only to draw it back in shock as a loud cry of shock left the blonde. The cashier looked up from the book she was reading and glanced over in their direction but Riku couldn't care less about the girl at the counter and instead placed both hands at each of Roxas' shoulders. "Come on, Roxas," he said in a hushed whisper, taking note of the widened blue eyes and the slightly agape mouth as well as the way he panted softly, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

Roughly taking off the headphones, he fumbled as he replaced it on the hook and glared at him, pure embarrassment written all over his face. "Don't! Do that!" he choked out, sounding quite vicious as he said it but the look he had just threw the whole 'I'm angry at you' vibe off.

Ignoring the hands on his shoulders, Roxas attempted to walk away only to pause in surprise at the fact that he wasn't moving from the spot. Apparently, he hadn't noticed that he was being held in place quite firmly. "You shouldn't do stuff like that, you know… Scaring people… What's your problem?" he continued to lash out at him verbally, his glare wavering as a crimson blush painted his cheeks. "I mean, I'm sure Sora loves you as much as the next person does, you perfect prick, but you don't have to torment the people that isn't head-over heels for you. You just love to show how much you hate me, don't you? Now, you're picking on me? Come on, man! Why can't you just… Why can't you just…" Breathing in deeply, he tried to regain his composure but was slowly failing in doing so and resorted to bite his lip to keep himself form saying anything.

The entire time the boy was verbally abusing him, Riku remained silent, his patient gaze on him, waiting for the moment he would finally shut up and calm down a bit. He was shocked, he was embarrassed, he was angry, he was frustrated, he was sensitive. He deserved a bit of venting before they were forced to continue with the outing. The outing seemed like a living Hell now, actually…

"Why are you quiet? Say something, at least yell at me, hit me, do _something_!" was what Roxas choked out in between deep pants, feeling quite dizzy now that he had gotten such a huge load off his chest.

Finally, after a minute or two of silence, save for the soft panting from Roxas, the boy had finally calmed down and was being treated to a warm cup of hot chocolate in the nearby coffee house. There was the soft background chatter and a small bit of music being played by the speakers over their heads and the warm atmosphere seemed to help with cooling down the fiery blonde teen who sat, curled-up in a small ball on the bean-bag opposite him, the white mug of hot chocolate clutched in his pale hands while Riku lounged before him, sipping on a small cup of black coffee. Roxas stared ahead, blankly out of the curtained window, somewhat regretful of what he had done earlier in the bookstore. It was a blessing that they weren't kicked out because of it.

"Hey, Riku…" he mumbled after awhile and the silver-haired male nodded his head to show that he was listening.

"Sorry, okay?"

It was brief, it sounded lazy but it also had a small bit of sincerity in it.

Riku simply smiled and nodded once more.

"It's fine, you needed to vent out…"

Then, there was silence.

Less stiff than before and a tad more warmer.

At least there was a bit of understanding between them now…


	4. Desire

**Title****: Oathkeeper**

**Chapter 4****: Desire**

Roxas stared out into the window of the coffee shop, his blue eyes shining under the light of the Sun. The white sheer curtains that framed the glass was soft and smelt like roses and intricate lace lined the hem. Despite the busy-looking avenue outside with the bright sunlight and people scurrying past, the hum of the outside was the only thing that penetrated the calm and serene inside of the café. The blonde was grateful for this, he decided as he turned around on the one-seater sofa and plopped down, pressing his back to the dark green cushions behind him A sigh left his lips as he pulled up his legs and held them to his chest, his sapphire optics disappearing once again. The empty white mug remained on the coffee table, the chucky remains of hot chocolate sitting at the bottom of the cup. Across from him, the older teen with silver hair brushed aside his long mane and tucked it behind his ear, taking one last sip from his coffee, stretching it for as long as he could. He wanted the calm silence between them to last.

"Done?" was the unexpected query that slipped past the blonde's lips and Riku glanced up as he was placing down the cup. Roxas didn't seem to move from his position, but he eyed the small bag of manga they had bought for Sora, ready to pick it up if they were about to leave.

"Yeah, I guess," he replied, standing up from the comfortable seat quite hesitantly. "Let's go." Before the twin could make a move for the thick bag, the taller had grabbed it from the carpeted floor, in a way nonverbally insisting to carry the heavy load.

The walk down the street was more warmer yet it was also somewhat uneventful. However, both were grateful for the lack of the earlier aura they had. At least people gave them a smile when they walked past. Suddenly, Roxas stopped in his tracks, abruptly enough, it caused Riku's head to turn upon instinct. Curiously, he turned around and retraced 3 steps back so he stood right next to him. About to call out his name, he himself had to stop where he was at the look on the male's face. That look he was giving, that expression that looked so familiar…

It was the look Sora gave when they walked past a chocolate shop…

Apparently, it was also the look Roxas gave when he saw…

What did he see? He was even more curious now, determined to find out what exactly attracted him so much. Despite being a seemingly different person from his brother, they were the same, somewhere in there. Locked up in there was another Sora, or more correctly, Roxas' softer side. He had to see this. What better way to get rid of an enemy by knowing his weaknesses? Staring at the small side-street that was filled with candy-stands, onigiri sellers and a whole collection of food down one small alley. There had to be at least 25 or more stalls here… Assuming that each stall had at least 10 or more different types of food…

'_This is going to be harder than I thought…'_

Suddenly, there was movement from the boy before him and Riku had to tear away his eyes from the busy-looking street. Much to his dismay, Roxas was walking onwards so nonchalantly, not paying any attention to the needy part of him that should be eating away at his heart. His eyebrows raised and about to grab him, he drew back his hand after a second-thought, reconsidering what he was about to do and what kind of hint it would give the boy, unintentional or not. He didn't want to give him any ideas.

And without a word to him, he followed the blonde, leaving the street unexplored and Roxas' little need undiscovered.

With a little twist of Fate's finger, the unlikely couple found themselves back at the entrance of the alley after taking a wrong turn at one of the junctions, they were not sure which and Riku couldn't help but notice the earlier expression on his enemy's face reappearing, resurfacing to greet the silver-haired male. Deciding that he wouldn't get another chance to explore this unknown side of Roxas, he finally spoke out, "You know, we could go down that alley…" Good, he sounded casual enough, there was no way he would be suspected. Catching him off-guard, Roxas looked towards him, but his expression wasn't that of distrust, but of a sort of hope, like a child on Christmas day, holding up a large present and asking whether it was really his.

It wavered to give way to a bit of doubt, but with a simple shrug of Riku's shoulders, he sent the younger one practically jogging past the entrance and keeping towards the right. Apparently, it was somewhere over there, he thought.

What could it be? Crepe? Dango? Mochi?

The sound of the rubber soles of Roxas' sneakers against the rough ground caught his attention and tailing after him in a speed quicker than his usual, he approached the stall, seeing the younger male lean over to confirm his hopes. Appearing beside him, his emerald eyes scanned the stand. An ice-cream stand. Unlikely for a boy his age…

"Fifty cents, please," the young woman owning the stall told him, smiling tenderly at him and holding out what seemed like a white plastic packet with the words 'Sea Salt Ice-Cream' written all over it. That little bit of Sora glimmered in his sapphire eyes and he shoved his hand into his pocket eagerly but that small sparkle was extinguished just like that. Drawing out his hand, he searched all of his pockets, questing in every nook and cranny but to no avail. "Must've left it at home…" he mumbled under his breath to himself, sounding quite crestfallen and frustrated of the whole thing.

"You can put it ba-"

"Two please," Riku's voice cut Roxas' off and he glared up at him for interrupting him but what he didn't expect to see was him holding out a dollar bill and exchanging it with two packets of sea salt ice-cream. His eyebrows raised as one was offered to him, wondering if this was some sort of sick trick to get his hopes up but as it didn't move away from him, he accepted the cool pack without a word.

"Why?" slipped from his lips, his voice somewhat amazed by this act of kindness.

"You wanted one, didn't you?" the older brushed off the question, walking straight ahead and out of the alley, the twin jogging after him to catch up. Continuing their small walk down the shopping district's confusing streets and alleyways, they ate the ice-cream without a word between them.

"Thank you," Roxas finally whispered, having gathered enough courage to finally spit those two words out.

"You're very much welcomed…."

And then, there was silence once more.

With no other sound but the soft crunch of ice-cream and their shoes against the pavement.


End file.
